Concrete slab question General Building and Construction Discuss Concrete slab question in the General forums; I demolished a small wood decking (about 8' x 10' and about 2' high) outside of this bedroom and am ...

[fxpose]

I demolished a small wood decking (about 8' x 10' and about 2' high) outside of this bedroom and am planning on rebuilding with a concrete slab surface.
What's most practical......a suspended slab or pour slab on top of several thousand pounds of gravel fill?
Can some other fill material be used?

[Mudologist]

You need to dig and pour a footing across the front, ( below frost line). Lay block wall to bottom of slab hieght, fill and compact, then pour 4" minimun slab with dowels and expansion joints along existing building. It,s really not that bad a job, and much simpler than building an elevated concrete deck.

[MK1]

Suspended slab will cost considerably more. You only need about 3-4" of gravel on top of other clean fill, if gravel is an undue pain or expense.

Mark

[Archena]

May want to fix - and move - that pipe first...

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

go to craigslist... you can often get clean concrete fill for free,,, they are even happy to dump it for you,, And yes like arch says I would definitely do something to that pipe, You may want to consider enclosing it in a larger pvc pipe so it can be pulled or replace if it ever needs to be,,,

Mark

[fxpose]

Thanks for your replies.

I intend on re-routing that rain pipe, most likely above the finished slab.
I guess I'll use concrete fill after I lay a new foundation wall in front.

[Archena]

Um, is that a gas line sticking out or a water line? I didn't notice it the first time - the goo on it makes it blend in to the background.

That rain pipe looks like something out of the Twilight Zone....

[fxpose]

I will use as solid a fill material as I can fill this with, including lots of gravel. And for extra measure, to prevent eventual sinking or tilting of the slab, I will drive rebars into the existing rear and right side block foundation, and perhaps erect a couple of cement block piers in the middle and to the left near the stuccoed wall in case the fill material decides to settle further.

BTW, that's a dead steel pipe sticking out of the ground there. I have no idea why its there.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

If you wanted, You could throw in one or two conrete footing tubes as well,, though im sure a block wall down the middle would be more than enough,, Throw in some wire grid as well to help keep the slab from cracking..
Remember,,, theres no such thing as overbuilt,,,,

Cheers
Mark

[Archena]

Originally Posted by fxpose

...

BTW, that's a dead steel pipe sticking out of the ground there. I have no idea why its there.

Ah, it looked like copper which is why I asked.